Mr. Carpenter - Leah Barnes

Leah Barnes played by Ela-May Demircan, is the daughter of Amy Barnes born onscreen 26 February 2007.

After discovering her pregnancy, Amy initially wants to have an abortion, but eventually opts for a state of denial, with only Michaela McQueen aware she is pregnant. In February 2007, she gives birth to Leah on the kitchen floor, with her shocked father Mike and sister Sarah delivering the child. Amy refuses to go near Leah, leading her mother Kathy to claim she is Leah's mother. This ruse continues for several months, but finally Michaela sells the story to a tabloid. By this time, Amy has formed a bond with Leah, and claims the baby as her own. However, Kathy has become obsessed with Leah and, after failing to make Amy look incapable of being a parent, she kidnaps Leah. She is eventually sectioned and leaves Hollyoaks village a few months later.

Leah moves into a flat with Amy and boyfriend Ste Hay. Amy tells her family that Ste is Leah's father. After the couple discover they are in serious money trouble, Ste lies that Leah has leukaemia in order to get money. The lie quickly spirals out of his control as Ste and Amy begin raking in money as. Eventually, the truth does come out. Amy's friend Sasha Valentine babysits Leah one night. However, drug dealer Nige Foster arrives and persuades Sasha to take drugs, despite Leah's presence. Amy and Ste return home to find Leah crying on her own, and close to a syringe. An angry Ste throws both Sasha and Nige out after threatening them. Ste's anger issues grow out of hand, and on various occasions, he attacks Amy, who briefly moves out of the flat with Leah. Amy later discovers she is pregnant and has a son called Lucas Hay (Reuben Thwaites). She, however, does not take Ste back. Following Lucas's birth, Amy suffers from postnatal depression and moves away, leaving Leah and Lucas with Ste. She returns months later. Amy, Leah and Lucas move back in with Ste, but Amy and Ste do not get back together.

Gabby Sharpe pays Amy to babysit her daughter Amber. Amy takes Leah and Lucas to Gabby's flat and on the same night, an arsonist sets fire to Il Gnosh, which is below the flat. Amy falls asleep as the fire spreads, however wakes up and realises she is trapped. She eventually attracts the attention of Steph Cunningham outside. Steph enters and manages to save them with the help of Gilly Roach, although Steph dies in the fire. On Leah's 5th birthday, she bonds with Amy's new boyfriend Ally Grogan (Daniel O'Connor) as does Lucas. On 8 August 2012, Leah along with Lucas and Amy leaves the village and Ste. She returns in November as a bridesmaid for Ste's wedding to Doug Carter. When Leah is playing outside the wedding venue she runs across the road only to get nearly ran over by a minibus driven by Maddie Morrison. She swerves to avoid Leah, but although Ste manages to save her he is hit by the minibus. In December, Leah is bullied at school for having 'two dads' Doug and Ste, but Ste explains to her that its ok to have to dads, as she has her mum as well. Shortly after this, Leah's biological father Billy turns up in the village and vows to Ste that he will get Leah.